Begonia plant named ‘Dobegicbacre’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Begonia  plant named ‘Dobegicbacre’, characterized by its relatively compact, semi-upright to trailing and mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely and continuously flowering habit; and single flowers that are bright red in color.

Botanical designation: Begonia hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DOBEGICBACRE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begonia plant, botanically known as Begonia hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dobegicbacre’.

The new Begonia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new compact, freely branching and freely flowering Begonia plants with large and attractive flowers.

The new Begonia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor during the autumn of 2016 of a proprietary selection of Begonia hybrida identified as code number BG13-000502-001, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Begonia hybrida identified as code number BG-5862, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Begonia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Lier, The Netherlands during the spring of 2017.

Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia plant by vegetative tip cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Lier, The Netherlands since the spring of 2017 has shown that the unique features of this new Begonia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Begonia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dobegicbacre’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dobegicbacre’ as a new and distinct Begonia plant:

-   -   1. Relatively compact, semi-upright to trailing and mounded         plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely basal branching habit.     -   4. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   5. Freely and continuously flowering habit.     -   6. Single flowers that are bright red in color.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia are more trailing than and not as         upright as plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Begonia flower earlier than plants of the         female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Begonia have bright red-colored flowers         whereas plants of the female parent selection have orangish         red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia are denser than and not as open as         plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Begonia have shorter internodes than plants         of the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Begonia have dark green-colored leaves         whereas plants of the male parent selection have dark brownish         green-colored leaves.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of Begonia hybrida BEAUVILIA ‘Red’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of BEAUVILIA ‘Red’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia are more compact than plants of         BEAUVILIA ‘Red’.     -   2. Plants of the new Begonia are not as vigorous as plants of         BEAUVILIA ‘Red’.     -   3. Plants of the new Begonia are more freely branching than         plants of BEAUVILIA ‘Red’.     -   4. Plants of the new Begonia have shorter internodes than plants         of BEAUVILIA ‘Red’.     -   5. The lower leaf surfaces of plants of the new Begonia are         purplish red in color whereas the lower leaf surfaces of plants         of BEAUVILIA ‘Red’ are green in color.     -   6. Flowers of plants of the new Begonia are lighter red in color         than flowers of plants of BEAUVILIA ‘Red’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Begonia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Begonia plant.

The photograph is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Dobegicbacre’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements were grown in 12-cm containers during the summer in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Lier, The Netherlands. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 35° C., night temperatures ranged from 17° C. to 25° C. and minimum light level was 135 watt/m². Plants were 13 weeks old when the photograph was taken and twelve weeks old when the description was taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Fifth Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Begonia hybrida ‘Dobegicbacre’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Begonia             hybrida identified as code number BG13-000502-001, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Begonia             hybrida identified as code number BG-5862, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative tip cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 18 days at             temperatures about 22° C. to 30° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 21 days at             temperatures about 20° C. to 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 22 to 25             days at temperatures about 22° C. to 30° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 25 to 28             days at temperatures about 20° C. to 22° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; whitish grey             in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on             substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and             formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of             roots; plants of the new Begonia have not been observed to             form tubers.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Semi-upright to trailing and             mounded plant habit; relatively compact; becoming more             pendulous with development; freely basal branching with             about three primary lateral branches each with about three             to four secondary lateral branches; moderately vigorous             growth habit and moderate growth rate.         -   Plant height.—About 11 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 36 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 10.5 cm. Diameter:             About 8 mm. Internode length: About 2 cm. Texture and             luster: Pubescent; semi-glossy. Aspect: Semi-upright to             trailing. Strength: Moderately strong, flexible. Color,             developing: Close to 152C. Color, developed: Close to 152B.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 9 cm. Width: About 3.8 cm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex:             Narrowly acute. Base: Oblique. Margin: Senate; sinuses             medium in depth and divergent. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Pubescent; semi-glossy. Venation pattern:             Palmate; reticulate. Color: Developing and fully expanded             leaves, upper surface: Close to 139A; venation, close to             144C. Developing and fully expanded leaves, lower surface:             Close to 71A; venation, close to 146C. Petioles: Length:             About 3 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture and luster, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy. Strength:             Moderately strong; flexible. Color, upper surface: Close to             148B to 148C. Color, lower surface: Close to 148B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—Single flowers arranged in axillary cymes;             freely flowering habit with typically about three flowers             per inflorescence and about 48 open flowers and flower buds             per plant at one time; flowers are mostly nodding.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about eight             weeks after planting; long flowering period, in the garden             plants flower freely and continuously from the late spring             throughout the summer in Northern Europe and can be flowered             year-round in greenhouses.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about four weeks             on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 5 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 7 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter: About 1.8 cm.             Shape: Ovoid. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;             semi-glossy. Color: Close to 42A.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 2 cm by 2.4 cm. Depth (height):             About 2.5 cm.         -   Flower petals.—Quantity per flower and arrangement:             Typically four to five per flower arranged in a single             whorl; petals imbricate. Length: About 2.5 cm. Width: About             1.8 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded and emarginate. Base:             Cuneate and truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster,             upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Texture and luster,             lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy. Color: When             opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 44A;             venation, close to 44A; color does not change with             subsequent development. When opening and fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 44A; venation, close to 44A; color does             not change with subsequent development.         -   Flower sepals.—Quantity per flower and arrangement:             Typically four or five per flower arranged in a single             whorl. Length: About 2.5 cm. Width: About 1.2 cm. Shape:             Obovate. Apex: Rounded and emarginate. Base: Obtuse. Margin:             Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy. Color: When opening and fully             opened, upper surface: Close to 44A. When opening and fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 44A.         -   Flower peduncles.—Length: About 4.5 cm. Diameter: About             4 mm. Aspect: Semi-trailing. Strength: Moderately strong;             flexible. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; glossy.             Color: Close to 152C.         -   Flower pedicels.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Aspect: Outwardly to semi-trailing. Strength: Moderately             strong. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color:             Close to 59D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity of stamens per             flower: About three. Filament length: About 4 mm. Filament             color: Close to 28B. Anther length: About 4 mm. Anther             shape: Oval. Anther color: Close to 13A. Amount of pollen:             Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 13A. Pistils: Quantity of             pistils per flower: Three. Pistil length: About 4 mm. Style             length: About 3.5 mm. Style color: Close to 34A. Stigma             diameter: About 4 mm. Stigma shape: Curled, bi-lobed. Stigma             color: Close to 34A. Ovary color: Close to 145B. Fruits and             seeds: To date, fruit and seed development have not been             observed on plants of the new Begonia. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, resistance to pathogens and     pests common to Begonia plants has not been observed on plants of     the new Begonia. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Begonia have been observed     to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 10° C. to about 35° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Begonia plant named ‘Dobegicbacre’ as illustrated and described. 